This invention relates to methods and apparatus for temporarily supporting high voltage electrical transmission conductors during transmission system installation and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for temporarily supporting high voltage electrical conductors while they are being clipped to high voltage insulator assemblies on a power transmission pole by means of an auxiliary cable and conductor clipping aid, and the like.
For a number of reasons, of which cost and environmental considerations are perhaps paramount, electrical utility companies have been striving to reduce the width of the right-of-way that is required to transmit electrical power. There also is a further need to improve the physical and aesthetic appearance of electrical power transmission systems.
Toward satisfying these ends, the "Horizontal Vee" electrical transmission system that is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,002,043 granted Sept. 26, 1961 to R. I. Jenner et al. for "Electrical Transmission System" has been quite successful. As described in the Jenner et al. patent, a suspension insulator is connected to an electrical transmission system pole in a manner that enables the suspension insulator to extend from the pole in a downward and outward direction. The downwardly and outwardly protruding end of the suspension insulator is joined to one end of a horizontal strut insulator, the opposite end of the strut insulator being connected directly to the power transmission system pole. The combined suspension and strut insulators form the "Horizontal Vee" and it is the junction of the two insulators that form this vee to which the line conductor is attached.
Although this "Horizontal Vee" installation has been widely accepted and very successful in reducing right-of-way width requirements for a given power rating, there is, nevertheless, a further need to simplify line conductor insulation procedures in order to reduce over-all system installation costs.
Typically, a crane or jib pole temporarily supports the line conductor while the conductor is being permanently clamped to the "Horizontal Vee" insulators on the transmission pole. This use of jib poles or cranes to temporarily lift and hold the conductor is expensive in terms of personnel and equipment, as well as being a tedious and time-consuming process. This technique, moreover, has the further disadvantage of imposing abnormal loads during installation on the pole structure. Clearly, there is a need for improved methods and apparatus for mounting line conductors to "Horizontal Vee" power transmission systems.